Sarah Artz brought macrame star Emily Katz (center) to the Midwest for the first time.
It’s 9:03 a.m. on a rainy Saturday in September, and I worry that I am late for the macrame workshop being held in a rented warehouse space on Industrial Drive in Monona. Collecting myself, I am greeted by Sarah Artz of One-One Thousand, a new makerspace for artists and hobbyists. Artz, the organizer of the workshop, is also responsible for bringing Portland, Oregon-based macrame star Emily Katz to the Midwest for the first time. As I look around the blue Mason jar-filled room, I see cold-brew coffee, honey shrub mimosas, croissants and about 15 women eager to learn how to turn knots into beautiful — we hope — wall hangings. This could be a storyline from an episode of Portlandia, except that it is all so darn charming.
Artz always wanted to start her own business, and the wheels started turning about seven years ago when she took an upholstery class at Madison College. Last year Artz quit her job of 10 years and started One-One Thousand. Her goal was to create a local community for makers of handmade goods and a place for people who wanted to learn how to make things.
Artz says that while Madison embraces local food and craft beer makers, our city lacks a hub where creative people can come together to teach skills or sell their goods. As a result, makers are leaving and going to Portland and Brooklyn; Artz’s mission is to stem that exodus by being a resource to artists and those wanting more creativity in their lives.
Screenprinting and woodblock printing are other courses that have been offered at One-One Thousand.
For makers, One-One Thousand offers “Biz Maker Labs,” which are work sessions for small business owners tailored to the specific needs of makers. And then there are workshops for people like me, who are eager to learn a new hobby or skill.
Most of the workshops take place on the weekends at Wonder Studio, One-One Thousand’s home base on Argosy Court off Cottage Grove Road. In addition to macrame, some of the workshops this fall include Modern Mending, Getting Started with Kombucha Brewing, Book Making, Beginner Tapestry Weaving, and Screen Printing 101. Artz says she is really excited for the mending workshop, taught by Milwaukee artist Heidi Parkes; in our consumer-driven society and era of “fast fashion,” she thinks it’s important to promote everyday skills like fixing your own clothes. And it’s the environmentally conscious thing to do, to boot.
For people simply interested in schmoozing with artists and buying handmade goods, One-One Thousand also hosts events like the Good Day Market coming up on Dec. 9-10 at Octopi Brewing in Waunakee. There will be some 40 makers from throughout the Midwest selling home and lifestyle goods at this pop-up market.
Artz says that too often people don’t feel connected to the things they have in their home, and she wants to change that: “At one time, all of the things we had were created by people.”
One-One Thousand 4235 Argosy Court, Unit E, oneonethousand.net, Instagram @one_onethousand
